Computer-implemented system for analysis, administration, control, management and monitoring of a complex hardware/software architecture

Abstract

A method for execution in a computer network of several node computers and a plurality of program components, which are distributed instanced on one of the node computers and with predetermined input parameters for addressing a functionality of this program component and with predetermined output parameters after its execution, in which by communication with these program components state information (e.g., about the architecture of the computer network, the configuration status of the hardware resources of the computer network, event and error messages of the hardware resources of the computer network, the development status or the version of the software program components, the runtime behavior of the software program components, and events and errors of the software program components) is recorded with time, space, functional and/or structural descriptors, stored in a database, and, dependent on queries, output in one or more standardized output formats.

1 . A computer-implemented system in a computer network of several node computers and a plurality of software program components, the system comprising:
 a node computer of the several node computers;   software program components of the plurality of program components distributed instanced on the node computer and having a predetermined interface in each case, wherein for each interface is specified what inputs should be applied to address a functionality of the corresponding software program component and what outputs the functionality corresponding to the corresponding software program component will supply after its execution; and   a computer program component application landscape that, by communication with the software program components, records state information from at least one of software program resources and hardware resources in the computer network, the state information comprising
 architecture information of the computer network, 
 configuration status of the hardware resources of the computer network, 
 event and error messages of the hardware resources of the computer network, 
 development status of the software program components, 
 runtime behavior of the software program components, 
 events and errors of the software program components, 
 data flow between at least one of individual software program components and hardware resources of the computer network, and 
 introduction and change requirements and information for at least one of the hardware resources of the computer network and the software program components, 
   wherein the computer program component application landscape records the state information with time, space, functional, and structural descriptors, and, dependent on queries, outputs the state information in one or more standardized output formats.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system standardizes information about information technology (IT) assets, the IT asset information comprising one of software, software version, hardware, hardware versions, data flows, development information, and monitoring information, and wherein the system represents the IT asset information graphically with their respective dependencies within the computer program component application landscape for evaluation, using a uniform data structure for entry of the IT assets and their operation. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system automatically records and monitors data streams, volume requirements of the data streams, properties of the occurrence or appearance of the data streams, and executions of programs, in order to investigate and minimize errors and breakdowns and to detect dependencies between separate software program components, hardware resources of the computer network, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a software program component comprises one of a function, a procedure, a technical component, and a multilayered business service that accesses multiple software program components. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, for each software program component, the system
 during planning and structuring of the each software program component and its relationships to other software program components, electronically structures and documents relevant static data of the each software program component,   during programming and coding of the each software program component, accesses the relevant static data and refines and supplements the relevant static data with function calls, parameter transfer, and dynamic attributes,   during the lifetime of the each software program component, supplements the relevant static data with version information and runtime behavior, and   at the runtime of the each software program component,
 draws from the relevant static data output log file entries of the each software program component, 
 evaluates, by the computer program component application landscape, the static and dynamic behavior of the each software program component from its output log file entries, and 
 verifies and outputs the relevant static data. 
   
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the output occurs in a form that reproduces the relationships to and dependencies on other resources in the computer network, and includes at least one of a static, dynamic, and multilevel output of the state information. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein communication between the computer program component application landscape and the software program components takes place in one of batch processing and real time, for the state information. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein an operational error is communicated in the state information to the computer program component application landscape for the software program component, and wherein the software program component is displayed in the output together with at least one of its dependent computer program components and its involved hardware resources in the computer network. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a user error is communicated in the state information to the computer program component application landscape for the software program component, and wherein the software program component is displayed in the output together with at least one of its dependent computer program components, current data records, and its involved hardware resources in the computer network. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system displays a measure of quality of service (QoS) for a program component, and of performance statistics including the average response time (target−actual), the minimum response time (target−actual), the maximum response time (target−actual), the time of last access, and the number of accesses per time unit. 
   
   
       11 . A method for monitoring and managing a complex hardware/software architecture comprising a computer network of several node computers and a plurality of software program components, which are distributed instanced on one of the node computers and with predetermined input parameters for addressing a functionality of the software program component and with predetermined output parameters after its execution, the method comprising:
 communicating, using a computer program component application landscape, with the software program components and hardware resources in the computer network;   recording state information from at least one of the software program components and the hardware resources, the state information comprising
 architecture information of the computer network, 
 configuration status of the hardware resources of the computer network, 
 event and error messages of the hardware resources of the computer network, 
 development status of the software program components, 
 runtime behavior of the software program components, 
 events and errors of the software program components, 
 data flow between at least one of individual software program components and hardware resources of the computer network, and 
 introduction and change requirements and information for at least one of the hardware resources of the computer network and the software program components, 
   recording, in a database, the state information with time, space, functional, and structural descriptors; and   dependent on queries, outputting the state information in one or more standardized output formats.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising
 standardizing information about information technology (IT) assets, the IT asset information comprising one of software, software version, hardware, hardware versions, data flows, development information, and monitoring information, and   representing the IT asset information graphically with their respective dependencies within the computer program component application landscape for evaluation, using a uniform data structure for entry of the IT assets and their operation.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising automatically recording and monitoring data streams, volume requirements of the data streams, properties of the occurrence or appearance of the data streams, and executions of programs, in order to investigate and minimize errors and breakdowns and to detect dependencies between separate software program components, hardware resources of the computer network, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a software program component comprises one of a function, a procedure, a technical component, and a multilayered business service that accesses multiple software program components. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein, for each software program component, the method comprises
 during planning and structuring of the each software program component and its relationships to other software program components, electronically structuring and documenting relevant static data of the each software program component,   during programming and coding of the each software program component, accessing the relevant static data and refining and supplementing the relevant static data with function calls, parameter transfer, and dynamic attributes,   during the lifetime of the each software program component, supplementing the relevant static data with version information and runtime behavior, and   at the runtime of the each software program component,
 drawing from the relevant static data output log file entries of the each software program component, 
 evaluating, by the computer program component application landscape, the static and dynamic behavior of the each software program component from its output log file entries, and 
 verifying and outputting the relevant static data. 
   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the output occurs in a form that reproduces the relationships to and dependencies on other resources in the computer network. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the output includes at least one of a static, dynamic, and multilevel output of the state information. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein communicating between the computer program component application landscape and the software program takes place in one of batch processing and real time, for the state information. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising
 communicating in the state information to the computer program component application landscape an operational error for the software program component, and   displaying in the output the software program component together with at least one of its dependent computer program components and its involved hardware resources in the computer network.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising
 communicating in the state information to the computer program component application landscape a user error for the software program component, and   displaying in the output the software program component together with at least one of its dependent computer program components, current data records, and its involved hardware resources in the computer network.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising displaying a measure of quality of service (QoS) for a program component, and of performance statistics including the average response time (target−actual), the minimum response time (target−actual), the maximum response time (target−actual), the time of last access, and the number of accesses per time unit. 
   
   
       22 . A computer-readable medium for monitoring and managing a complex hardware/software architecture comprising a computer network of several node computers and a plurality of software program components, which are distributed instanced on one of the node computers and with predetermined input parameters for addressing a functionality of the software program component and with predetermined output parameters after its execution, the computer-readable medium storing a plurality of executable program instructions, the plurality of executable program instructions responsive, when executed, to:
 communicate, using a computer program component application landscape, with the software program components and hardware resources in the computer network;   record state information from at least one of the software program components and the hardware resources, the state information comprising
 architecture information of the computer network, 
 configuration status of the hardware resources of the computer network, 
 event and error messages of the hardware resources of the computer network, 
 development status of the software program components, 
 runtime behavior of the software program components, 
 events and errors of the software program components, 
 data flow between at least one of individual software program components and hardware resources of the computer network, and 
 introduction and change requirements and information for at least one of the hardware resources of the computer network and the software program components, 
   record, in a database, the state information with time, space, functional, and structural descriptors; and   dependent on queries, output the state information in one or more standardized output formats.